


What Three Words?

by maythecat12 (orphan_account)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Presents, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24397357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/maythecat12
Summary: In which Steve is madly in love with Tony, it's Tony's birthday, and all Steve has to do is say three little words.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 113





	What Three Words?

**Author's Note:**

> Happy (early) birthday Tony!

“Stevie, you know his birthday’s coming up, right? Bucky said, then laughed at something Sam said.

“Yes, of course I know, I got him something,” Steve shot back. The thought of giving Tony the gift made him a little… nervous. He’d debated for a while on whether or not to do it, whether or not it’d be too forward, but had decided to give it to Tony anyway.

“Tell him on his birthday; it’d be the best gift, seeing as you two are head over heels for each other,” Bucky wore a shit-eating grin when he said that. 

“C’mon Buck, you know he doesn’t feel that way about me,” Steve sighed. There were times when Tony seemed to be on the same wavelength as him, but there were other times when it didn’t feel like they were in the same universe. And lately, Tony seemed a bit distant. The nights when Steve and Tony were in the lab together were fewer and fewer, and Steve was pretty sure it wasn’t SI projects. 

“Both of you two are so oblivious it pains me,” Natasha called out, scaring the group. Steve hadn’t noticed her come in.

“Natasha…” Steve knew that Tony didn’t like him like that. It was just plain obvious in the way that he acted around Steve. “He doesn’t feel that way. You know that.”

Natasha turned her head towards him, raising an eyebrow. “Really?” she asked, “do you actually believe that?”

“Yes?” Steve answered, “Nat, you haven’t been around him that much. He’s always so distant now.”

“Have you considered that he’s distant because he's afraid you don’t like him?” Natasha walked over and sat down across from Steve. “Because there’s clearly something going on between you two.”

“We’re just friends,” Steve tried to keep the bitterness and longing out of his voice, but he probably failed miserably. 

“That’s what he thinks too.” Natasha stared at him directly in the eyes, truth written there. “Steve, I’m serious. I don’t want to push you two too much, but he likes you, and you like him, and you should tell him that. Because I’ve been trained to read people for my entire life, and you two are very much in love.”

“Natasha-”

“Listen, Steve. I can’t make you do anything, but you two need to at least communicate. Communication is the key to a relationship, you know? Even if it is just friends.”

“I- I- okay-” a million thoughts rose into Steve’s mind, “it’s just-”

“When did Steve Rogers back down from something?” Bucky called out. Steve felt the edges of his mouth quirk up. Okay. He could do this.

\---

He could not do this. Bruce had baked a cake and they’d also bought ice cream. The communal area and kitchen were decorated with streamers and other party decorations. The entire team stood by, waiting for Tony to surface from his workshop.

Steve fought an internal war, running the thought of telling Tony how he felt over and over and over in his mind. What if Tony was disgusted? What if he didn’t want to talk to Steve after, and then their friendship was ruined too? But also, what if  _ he felt the same way _ ?

“Did I miss something?” Tony walked in, the elevator doors sliding shut behind him, a look of confusion crossing his face.

“Happy birthday!” Clint shouted, twisting a party popper with perhaps too much enthusiasm. A loud pop rang through the room, followed by a mess of confetti bursting from the end of the popper.

“Shit!” Tony cursed, “first off, Barton, I have a heart condition. Secondly, what day is it?”

“It’s May 29,” Natasha smiled, a fond look in her eyes. “Happy birthday, moy dorogoy.” 

“Wait it’s actually my birthday.” Tony frowned. Leave it to him to forget his birthday. “Shit, I actually forgot my birthday.” Clint laughed and soon the whole room was giggling. 

“Well, now you know,” he deadpanned, and tossed Tony a box, wrapped rather neatly in red and gold paper.

“Aww, Barton, you actually got me a gift?” Tony teased. 

“Once a year,” Clint heaved a long, drawn out sigh. “Don’t get used to it!”

Steve took that moment to approach Tony. He clutched the bag he’d slipped the gift into tightly. Tony turned and smiled at him, pulling him into a hug. Steve’s brain did a double-take and he stood there stiffly as Tony pulled away.  _ Goddammit, Rogers. _

“Uh, Tony, can you- can you come with me to the kitchen?” Steve’s brain tried to piece together a sentence. 

“Sure,” Tony smiled and they walked into the kitchen together. There was enough privacy and quiet to pretend that they were alone, but Steve would bet everything he owned that someone was probably listening to them.

“Uh,” he held out the bag awkwardly, pushing it towards Tony, who glanced at it, before looking back up at Steve. He took the bag and Steve watched with bated breath as Tony pulled out the gift.

It was a sketch of Tony, in the lab, eyes sparkling with the thrill of invention. Steve hoped that he captured the essence of Tony. In his eyes, he could still see some of the flaws in his sketch, the smudging of some pencil lines, or the places where he hadn’t been entirely successful in erasing things, or where the shading was too dark or light, or-

“Steve… wow… I- thank you. This is… this is amazing,” Tony’s tone was almost reverent. Steve released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. 

“I’m, uh, I’m glad you like it,” he stammered out, trying to find a way to bring up what he really wanted to say.

“Remember to say the three little words!” he heard Bucky call out from the living room. 

“What three words?” Tony glanced towards the living room absentmindedly. 

“I- uh- I-” Steve stuttered. Heat pooled in his cheeks and he couldn’t meet Tony’s gaze. Steve took a deep breath and blurted out, “I love you.”

“You- what?” Disbelief flashed across Tony’s face before being replaced with a small smile. “Steve Rogers, are you in love with me?”

“Tony- I- I know you probably don’t feel the same way, but, uh, yeah,” Steve wanted to slap himself. But yeah? Clearly he needed to work on his communication skills.

“Steve?” Tony asked, eyes glinting with amusement. “Shut up.” 

He placed the sketch back into the bag, and then his hands slid around the back of Steve’s neck, and he tugged them into a kiss. It was soft and as chaste as possible, just the press of lips against lips. Steve’s mind blanked and the only thought left was  _ I am kissing Tony. I am kissing Tony, and he is kissing me, and we are kissing, and it is nice. _

“I love you too,” Tony said once they pulled away, and Steve laughed. “C’mon big guy, let’s go eat some cake. And then we can make out some more. Can I just say, though, that was the best birthday gift ever.”

Tony laced his hand into Steve’s and they walked back into the living room, filled with the sounds of warmth, of family, and of home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
